clueless primitive pans waiters, waitresses

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5417097

Oh my.

And a very big bonfire, too.

ddeclue  (1000+ posts)        Wed Apr-08-09 06:09 PM
Original message
 
My biggest pet peeves with restaurant service staff:

1) Wait staff that is busy talking to each other or on their cell phone or watching the game or something instead of greeting me, getting me a place to sit or taking my order.

2) Wait staff that hovers over me asking me every few seconds how things are - I appreciate the point that they are paying attention but it can become annoying.

3) Wait staff that takes my food never comes back until bill time and doesn't refill my drink.

4) Wait staff that wants to take me to a tiny uncomfortable table when I am alone instead of giving me a booth.

5) Wait staff that wants to offer me the dessert menu when it is clear that I couldn't finish the food they brought me already.

It's not really the wait staff's fault but rather management that desserts seem to almost be antiquated these days because most chain restaurants make the main course portions so big and charge you so much that you really feel obligated to finish it. Sometimes I'll get the food to go but really they should provide less food and charge less for it.

6) Wait staff that tries to rush me out of the restaurant so that they can turn the table.

What impresses me?

Wait staff that:

1) remembers me
2) remembers my name
3) knows what drink(s) I like
4) knows what my favorite dishes are
5) is pleasant to me, has a sense of humor and talks to me about more than just my order
6) takes my order quickly and delivers it from the kitchen quickly (by this I don't mean to blame wait staff for kitchen staff slowness but I sometimes will see my order sitting in the pickup window for a noticeable amount of time.)

I generaly tip 25-35% when I'm working and 15-20% when I'm not but I always tip at least the 15%.

MindPilot (1000+ posts)      Wed Apr-08-09 06:16 PM
Response to Original message
 
5. I don't like it when the servers are all pissed off because some demanding prick has made their lives hell.

lunatica  (1000+ posts)      Wed Apr-08-09 06:43 PM
Response to Original message
 
11. As an ex-waitress people like you piss me off

You think your petty little likes and dislikes are so damn important.

Waiters and waitresses have what is called their station which is the group of tables they work. If you see a bunch of waitresses sitting around and not instantly jumping to you tiny little miserable table for your prickly party of ONE it's because it isn't their table. Your waitress is probably in the kitchen dropping off or picking up an order for another table, or in the bar getting a customer's drink.

If you don't get a booth for your prickly party of ONE it's because booths are where more customers can be seated. No one can seat a party of three or four at a table for one or two. Do you think they should keep a family waiting so you can spread out in a booth? Then you're a ass hole.

How about asking your waitress what her name is and being nice and talking to her about something besides your order. The last ass hole who sat in that prickly party of ONE table was probably a prick and hates life too and made sure she knew it.

When she brings the bill ask her for another drink if that's what you want. Most people hate it when the bill doesn't come right away.

Remember that everything you hate about waitresses is something someone else loves about them.

Runcible Spoon  (1000+ posts)        Wed Apr-08-09 06:44 PM
Response to Reply #11
 
12. Not sure why there are so many service industry bashing threads lately but it's sick.

lunatica  (1000+ posts)      Wed Apr-08-09 06:52 PM
Response to Reply #12
 
17. It's because service people are an easy target

You can't slam your boss when he/she kicks you in the ass so you go do it to the next people down the ladder. When they finally get home they kick the dog. Next day they kiss up to the boss just like they want service people to kiss up to them.

Runcible Spoon  (1000+ posts)        Wed Apr-08-09 07:10 PM
Response to Reply #17
 
21. Yep, that's pretty much accurate.

I waited tables and trust me the vast majority of the "regulars" were just there to hit on a captive audience because we couldn't outright be rude to them. They would use us to validate their sad lonely existences.

Of course, some regulars were just lovely people. Especially the elder couples. But the midlife crisis having sleazes who think their borderline sexual harassment "flirting" is cute are just disgusting.

TK421  (1000+ posts)      Wed Apr-08-09 08:40 PM
Response to Reply #11
 
33. I don't understand this attitude people get when they go out to eat where they expect this "Get down on your knees and cater to my every whim" bullshit.

I used to get it all the time when I worked in retail. The customer would come in with a chip on their shoulder, talk to the employee like they were sub-human ( knowing they can get away with it ) and make totally unreasonable requests that, if not met by the employee would be met by the manager....as long as the ****ing manager gives me my way then all is right with the world.

I swear, it's like when people leave their homes and walk into a dining establishment they shed their skin and become this terrible beast...just like people who piss all over public restrooms. **** the next person who has to use that bathroom stall...as long as I get to ruin it.

I just like to go in, not give them a hard time, and get what I order. If I don't get a refill the second my iced tea is gone I'm not going to flip out; there are other people there after all.

If my food was cold, waited for over an hour, or got unusually shitty service then perhaps then I would have a valid excuse to complain to someone, but the things listed in the OP are so petty I wonder how I would react if I was the server there.

scrinmaster (398 posts)      Thu Apr-09-09 12:26 AM
Response to Reply #11
 
37. If you want them to leave you a nice tip, then their likes and dislikes are pretty damn important.

LooseWilly  (662 posts)      Thu Apr-09-09 03:08 AM
Response to Reply #37
 
38. Some people tip crappy no matter what.

After a while on a job that involves part of your income coming from tips, you get to be pretty accurate (never 100%... but higher than 75%). What's the point of wasting your time fawning over someone who isn't going to tip worth a damn anyway? Get them in, get them out, and hope you can forget about them.

lunatica  (1000+ posts)      Thu Apr-09-09 08:29 AM
Response to Reply #37
 
40. If you're a shitty customer you're likes and dislikes aren't important

Scout  (1000+ posts)      Thu Apr-09-09 06:59 PM
Response to Reply #44
 
58. if you were my server, with that crappy ****ing attitude you're damn right i would leave a crappy tip. every post of yours in this thread is full of crappy attitude--i bet your customers can pick up on that attitude--perhaps that's why you think they are so shitty.

it's your JOB to give service to the customer ... if you have a problem with that, why do you work with the public?

now come on, tell me what a shitty customer i must be, what a whiner, and a lousy tipper. oh yeah, and i must be a rich snotty brat too, otherwise how could i afford to eat out?

rucky  (1000+ posts)        Wed Apr-08-09 06:47 PM
Response to Original message
 
14. This is becoming more controversial than circumcision

What do DU-ers have such a hard time with tips?

WorseBeforeBetter  (1000+ posts)      Wed Apr-08-09 07:38 PM
Response to Original message
 
28. Some people don't finish their entrees in order to have room for dessert.

I've done that on occasion -- take a portion of the meal to go and treat myself to dessert. I've waited tables -- it's a balance between mind-reading and not making assumptions and I imagine you'd be complaining if you weren't offered a dessert menu.

And just out of curiosity, do you expect a roomy booth when the restaurant is busy and parties of 2 or greater are waiting? If it's an off time and I'm led to a small table, I speak up and ask for something more spacious (to spread out with computer or newspaper), but not when it's busy or there's a wait.

fishnfla  (1000+ posts)      Wed Apr-08-09 08:49 PM
Response to Original message
 
34. Boy you are full of yourself. Go on an ego diet

Jesus how many times do you you refer to yourself in this post?

11 "me"
11 "I"
and 7 "my"

There is nobody that can give you more attention than yourself, apparantly

Texasgal  (1000+ posts)      Thu Apr-09-09 09:26 PM
Response to Original message
 
72. ummm wow. 

Your an asshole.

I hope no waitstaff ever has to wait on you.

There's a lot more.

[lizard]

Sounds like declueless DUmmie wants its Mommy to wait on them...that or a hired escort.  What a self-important ***hole.   

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

It must be this guy:

[youtube=425,350]zBFUDbOldMs[/youtube]

[USA4ME]

One primitive starts a thread yesterday morning regarding their confusion on how to tip in NYC and by the end of the day the whole island finds a new issue with which to complain.  Skin's island is a most miserable existance.

.

[USA4ME]

Sounds like declueless DUmmie wants its Mommy to wait on them...that or a hired escort.  What a self-important ***hole.   

As far as the primitives complaints, I tend to agree with numbers 1, 2, & 3.  I very rarely have #2 happen, but a staff that's too busy yapping or whatever to pay attention to their job (1 & 3), yeah, that's a major bad grade when I hand out the report cards.

.

[Texacon]

LooseWilly  (662 posts)      Thu Apr-09-09 03:08 AM
Response to Reply #37
 
38. Some people tip crappy no matter what.

After a while on a job that involves part of your income coming from tips, you get to be pretty accurate (never 100%... but higher than 75%). What's the point of wasting your time fawning over someone who isn't going to tip worth a damn anyway? Get them in, get them out, and hope you can forget about them.

Uuuummmmmm how about NO.  You can't tell even close to what someone is going to tip you.  Don't even try.  For someone who has been in commissioned sales for a long time I can tell you I give EVERY SINGLE PERSON who comes into my office the best service I can because I have no idea what they can or cannot afford or will buy.  Unless they buy something I don't get paid at all!  Unlike this douche in the waiting business who gets an hourly wage on top of the tips .... I get NOTHING unless someone buys a home or rents a home.

I have had people pull up to my office in the most decrepit vehicle wearing old, outdated clothes who have paid cash for a house.  I have had people pull up to my office driving a Mercedes and wearing slacks with a button down shirt who could not get a loan.  Go figure.

If this DUmmie thinks it can tell who is going to tip and who is not then it is wrong and will probably never figure out why it is not getting the tips it thinks it deserves.  Hope I'm never at one of its tables!

KC

[Chris_]

Since 0 and the dims have destroyed the economy I am curious about any DUmmies who are able to afford to eat out. It would seem to me that if the DUmmies really wanted to live up to their socialistic ideals that they would send a portion of their money to me so I can afford to eat out also.

For any lurking DUmmies who wish to live up to your talk you can send my money to:

ChuckJ
0 Sent-me-to-the-poor-house Street
DimsR-FUBAR, Ga. 55555

[USA4ME]

I have had people pull up to my office in the most decrepit vehicle wearing old, outdated clothes who have paid cash for a house.  I have had people pull up to my office driving a Mercedes and wearing slacks with a button down shirt who could not get a loan.  Go figure.

Amen, and I'll back you up on that.  In the mortgage biz, I've seen people in nice cars and dressed to the hilt who didn't pay their bills on time, and I've had unshaved men driving a beat-up pickup and wearing overalls pull out a roll of $100 bills that probably totaled $50K.

.

[Karin]

Boy, that Lunatica is a piece of work, isn't she?  Why was she even a waitress?  She could, I don't know, be a bill collector or something.  One experience with a Lunatica, and I never go back to the restaurant.  Ever.  I don't pay for shitty attitude. 

Scout tells her off:

now come on, tell me what a shitty customer i must be, what a whiner, and a lousy tipper. oh yeah, and i must be a rich snotty brat too, otherwise how could i afford to eat out?

I thought the "rich, snotty" dig was good.  Troll?